For the first three weeks of the season, Chris Williams was the most dangerous weapon in the CFL.

He had six touchdowns and an average of 164 receiving yards per game. His speed, combined with the long ball accuracy of quarterback Trevor Harris, led the Redblacks to the quick (3-0-1) start that without, they wouldn’t have even made the playoffs.

Now, Williams’ days with the team are surely over. And Harris, well, who knows what the future has in store for him.

“We’ve got a lot of decisions that have to be made,” said Williams, the 29-year old Texan who suffered a torn ACL in October. “For me, getting healthy is going to be big.”

Williams is eligible to become a free agent four months after an injury that is supposed to keep him sidelined for six. He carries a big ticket. The Redblacks are not going to put on hold such a large chunk of their budget to make sure he heals fully, not when they have so many other players who need new deals and not at the risk of losing out on another deep threat who becomes available in February.

“There’s definitely a large portion that’s going to be out of our control for sure,” said Williams, who only had two 100-yard games after Week 3. “To see how everything shakes out and how they want to pursue building this team, or what pieces they want to keep. Because you can’t keep everybody. That’s just professional football. It’s going to be a new team. There’s going to be new players.”

Also certainly gone is defensive back Abdul Kanneh, who will always hold a special place in Ottawa sports lore for the diving tackle he made to get the Grey Cup game into overtime.

They have to re-sign 30-year-old receiver Ernest Jackson, the errorless best player in the East this season, and fellow pass catcher Greg Ellingson is also a must-keep.

But while GM Marcel Desjardins refused to name his “priorities” on Wednesday, at the top of the list has to be the likes of Antoine Pruneau, Kienan Lafrance and Connor Williams because you don’t win in the CFL without good Canadians.

The Harris situation, meanwhile, is a complicated one hinging on Henry Burris’ knee and desire to continue playing. Can the two co-exist in 2017?

“How did we do this year?” Harris said.

Just fine, except it’s inconceivable the Redblacks are going to pay Harris starter’s money — believed to be in excess of $400,000 — to be a backup. And would they really make a second-stringer of Burris, the biggest quarterback hero in this town since Tom Clements? Even though his restructured contract will pay him that way?

Asked if the team still plans to have Harris as the starter in 2017, Desjardins said: “In terms of how the contracts are structured, that is on paper how it will be as of today.

“These are the circumstances we have to deal with now, which is not a bad place to be, to be honest with you.”

Said head coach Rick Campbell: “I think we’ve got to let this thing play out. The whole key is that we have an open line of communication, and everybody knows what’s going on.”

All of us on the outside will be watching.

OFF THE TOP

Harris knew there was something going on with Burris as the two stretched before the Grey Cup game.

“His shoe was tied,” Harris recalled Wednesday. “He untied it, and tied it, then he untied it, and then he tied it, and then he untied it, and I was like, ‘hey what’s going on man?’” That’s when he found out Burris was having problems with his knee, and that he needed to be prepared to take over the team. “I was like, ‘I’m ready, that’s why they brought me here,’” said Harris, who naturally and admittedly felt a little deflated when Burris came running out of the tunnel. “Yeah, it was tough,” Harris said. “I arrived (at the stadium) early and just sat there, and soaked it all in and thought I’m gong to have to wait a full year to do this. Then all of a sudden, fast forward three hours and we’re 30 seconds from kickoff. I was like, this is sweet, I’m excited, and then I see him running .. part of me was very happy for him and part of me was like sigh. I’ve had Hank’s back all year, he’s had mine. It’s a tremendous relationship, It was a fun year.”

THEY SAID IT

Campbell, when it was mentioned that he just needed to win four more Grey Cups in a row to match the feat of his dad, former Edmonton Eskimos head coach Hugh Campbell: “No problem. Sounds easy.” There was more than a little sarcasm in his voice … Ernest Jackson, when asked if Burris should go out on top: “I don’t know. It all depends on him. If he feels like he can still play, and he still looks good, and he could get it done, why not go another year?” Would you like to see him back? Would you like to see him back as the QB? “Sure, why not? If he can do it, hey, keep going. Until the wheels fall off.” … DB Forrest Hightower, on his two interceptions Sunday: “It’s very big. Especially because I had a long season. I was out a few times with minor injuries, so I had to battle through and come back. It just meant a lot to me to actually show up and show my abilities in the big game.” … Kicker Ray Early, when asked if he missed the fourth quarter convert on purpose because he saw it was going to be blocked: “Not really. I just missed it. I didn’t even know that.” But had he converted, Calgary would have been in position of needing a TD in the last minute and the game might have never made it to overtime. Sure you didn’t adjust on purpose? “That was the good Lord right there doing that.” … Brad Sinopoli, on his favourite kind of potato chip: “Ketchup. And I like ketchup-flavoured popcorn, too.” Hey, the off-season has begun. He can indulge if he wants.

ROGERS CHIRPS IN

Unable to use his 6-foot-4 and 319-pounds to the Redblacks advantage against the Calgary Stampeders, left tackle SirVincent Rogers found another way to help out.

He took up chirping.

At Wednesday’s locker clean out, Rogers explained how difficult it was to not participate in the Grey Cup win because of an ankle injury.

“It was real hard,” Rogers said. “You probably saw the passion on the sidelines. I was jawing with a lot of those (Stampeders). Just because it was the only way I could contribute.”

Witnesses say Rogers put on a trash-talking clinic.

“I usually don’t talk when I play,” he said, “but if I could get in anybody’s head, help the team out in anyway, I was willing to do that. Even if it was out of character. It was just the passion you saw.”

Rogers believes his methods worked.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I won’t name any names but you saw guys playing somewhat uncharacteristic for how well they played during the season, so I like to think I contributed.”

Who’s to argue?

Rogers would have been able to play if the game would have been scheduled closer to Christmas.

“I think three weeks would be full recovery time for a three month injury,” he said. “I knew those guys could get it done without me. It’s the only reason I didn’t attempt to play in the game. I just trusted the guys we have.”

The work to be done now sits with GM Marcel Desjardins, who wouldn’t put a number on it but says he has “enough” players who are eligible for free agency.

Desjardins struck one name off the list when he announced at the Grey Cup that Rogers had been inked to a two-year extension.

The singing was a big one for the Redblacks.

“Obviously we have two pretty good options at quarterback and we need to make sure we protect those guys as best as possible,” Desjardins said Wednesday. “And he is by far the best option in this league at his position.”

Rogers offered some simple advice on how Desjardins should deal with the other Redblacks owning expiring contracts.

“Pay the guys,” he said. “Pay the guys. Every great player deserves it. Just get the guys signed and let’s do this again next year.”

WILLIAMS BLOWN AWAY

Even as a guy who grew up in Ottawa, Connor Williams was blown away by the turnout for the Grey Cup parade on Tuesday.

“I know football runs deep in this city’s history and it’s blood,” the Redblacks defensive end said. “But Tuesday at noon, for that many people to come out, kids and people of all ages … and for them to look at me on the float and say ‘thank you,’ that meant the world.

“It was a long drought for those fans. It meant the world to me to take part in bringing something like this home. We wouldn’t have been able to do that if it wasn’t for the support and all that from the fans, so we appreciate them.”

When the Grey Cup is his for a day, Williams has some “loose plans” to show how much he appreciates the people closest to him. That group would include his parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and mentors, including former CFLers Donnie Ruiz (Renegades) and Dexter Ross.

He would also like to bring the Cup to his high school, Holy Trinity, in Kanata.

“I have a few ideas floating around,” said the 25-year old Williams, who had one of Ottawa’s three sacks in the Grey Cup game. “I’d like to bring it around to some important people in my life, people that I wouldn’t be here without.

“I have a few uncles who mentored the hell out of me … Brian Wise and (former Rough Rider) Shane Ireland. I’d love for all of them to come by and see the accumulation of my hard work, but also their hard work that they put into me. Because I wouldn’t even be sniffing this thing if it wasn’t for all those people.”

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